Pres. Duterte Freed the Grateful Vietnamese Fishermen as a Gesture of Friendship

The tough-talking President of the Republic of the Philippines, Pres. Rody Duterte made headlines anew after he ordered the release of 17 Vietnamese fishermen who had trespassed in Philippine waters. The Vietnamese fishermen were so grateful after Pres. Duterte ordered their release in a gesture of friendship towards Hanoi.

The grateful group of Vietnamese fishermen were freed with their
boats carrying fresh supplies as they sailed from the coastal town of
Sual, Pangasinan. One of the ships that sailed back to Vietnam bears a huge sign
saying "President Duterte Thank You. From Vietnam Fishermen."

Pres. Rody Duterte ordered the released of the Vietnamese fishermen as he personally saw off the fishermen's release back to their country on Wednesday, November 2, 2016.

The Vietnamese fishermen who were previously apprehended aboard three fishing boats on September 8 were ordered to be release by the Philippine President. The friendly gesture of the Philippines was made after Pres. Duterte visited Vietnam, a fellow member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

During the send-off ceremony, Pres. Duterte told diplomats and government officials that he had ordered the charges to be dropped since the Vietnamese fishermen had only entered Philippine waters to avoid bad weather.

The 71-year-old Philippine President said that the case of the Vietnamese fishermen was brought to his attention during his visit to Hanoi in late September as he noted that both the Philippines and Vietnam were small countries who suffered "impositions" by wealthier nations.

Pres. Duterte was quoted as saying "That is why we place
importance on ASEAN. It's just us, neighboring each other, and we have
to sometimes do some things to protect our interests."

Pres. Duterte Freed the Grateful Vietnamese Fishermen as a Gesture of Friendship
Reviewed by Phil Newsome
on
11/03/2016
Rating: 5